Sunsari, June 16

Political parties, including the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre, have stepped up their election campaigning for the civic polls slated for June 28 in Dharan Sub-metropolitan city.

Parties are making door to door visits, and holding corner meetings and musical events to win voters’ trust.

With a total of 79,282 voters in the sub-metropolis, a three-way battle for top posts is expected among the UML, NC and CPN-Maoist Centre in Dharan. The NC is expected to give a tough fight to the UML. While the UML will try to continue its legacy, the NC is eyeing a victory over the UML to create history in the town.

The NC has nominated Tialak Rai and Shyama Regmi for the mayoral and deputy mayoral posts respectively. Rai is deemed a very strong candidate as there is a dominance of Rai community in the town. The CPN-UML has picked Tara Subba as the mayoral candidate. The party has given ticket to Manju Bhandari for deputy mayor’s post.

The CPN-Maoist Centre has picked its youth leader Aaindra Bikram Begha for the post of mayor. Begha, who started politics from UML, is Maoist Central General Convention Organising Committee member.The NC is mulling an electoral alliance with Federal Socialist Forum and Naya Shakti Nepal. Similarly, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party has picked Tara Shakya for the mayoral post.